


Sick Day

by shinineko1



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 15:49:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10665858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinineko1/pseuds/shinineko1
Summary: When Regis falls ill, some things are revealed that he wasn't ready to have revealed.





	Sick Day

It was just a cold. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. Coughs were hidden behind his hand throughout the day, and by the time the last of the meetings with officials rolled around, Regis was sniffling just a little. When asked, he claimed it was a bit of late season allergies and seemed to be believed before left the room, the few people that made up his own personal guard following at a slight distance. One person was conspicuously missing and it was likely a good thing too. He could fool the other three men he used to hang around in his 20s with almost no effort, but Cor would have had him in bed hours ago, if not cancelled all of his appointments for the day. As it was, he still had one more, personal visit to take care of. 

The car ride home was thankfully quiet as well, and as they pulled up in front of the estate he called home, he told the others to just go home for the day. Cor would likely be back sometime soon, and if nothing else, his home was possibly the most protected place in the city. Clarus declined going home, at least until Cor was in, and he shrugged a little as he headed up the short flight of shallow stairs to go inside. After shedding several layers that made him look more like a king, he requested tea be sent to the study so he could go over reports in peace.

He paused for a moment as he heard a gentle rumble of thunder and shook his head, leading the way for his shield. Not that the man couldn't find the way himself, considering how often he was there instead of his own home. He paid no attention to the room as he went into it, simply heading for the dark, wooden desk that he'd likely spend hours at. The door remained open for a time as Clarus looked around the room to make sure it was secure before he closed it gently to let the king work in silence. And so he did, listening to the sound of the rain and the thunder rumbling.

His only interruption was for the tea he'd ordered from a maid, brought in by Clarus and tested before he could even have a sip of it. It was one thing he wished didn't have to happen, considering had it actually been poisoned, he would have lost a good friend for it. The heat of it soothed his irritated throat as he worked, a pen making small notes on the reports he was reading over. 

A particularly loud crack of thunder hid the sound of the door opening again, and he just about jumped when he heard Clarus announcing that Ignis was here to see him. His last unofficial business of the day -- a bi-weekly report on how Noctis was faring in the city and away from home. He nodded to tell Clarus to let him in, then frowned at the man when he lingered.

"...You feelin' alright?" The question startled him, to say the least.

"Of course I am. Just let Ignis in and I promise I'll stop working early to set your mind at ease." 

The words earned him a roll of the other's eyes before he stepped out again, and it wasn't even a moment more before his son's adviser came in himself, his hair showing the effects of the rain that were outside. His pen was set aside as he sat back in his chair, eyes following the young man that walked into the room. Briefly, he assessed him as his son's adviser. Lean, and fit, he was surely able to take care of himself and his son quite well. And if he had to admit it to himself, not hard on the eyes either. He was sure his son had noticed that little tidbit as well.

As the young man bowed and intoned a low "Your Majesty," Regis sat back in his seat, a little smile on his face.

"No need to stand on propriety right now, Ignis. Just tell me how he's doing." He was rewarded with the faintest of smiles as the other man moved to take a seat so they could talk about the 16-year-old who, as far as he could see, was like any other teenager -- a couple of good friends, a moody disposition, and much like himself, a very healthy dislike of vegetables. The discussion they were having was interrupted however, by a coughing fit in the middle of his speaking. 

Ignis was up in a second, already more than halfway to the desk before the fit even subsided and with a worried look on his face. He was quick to pour him a cup of still warm tea, honey being drizzled in. He was barely settled back and breathing normally before it was pressed into his hands. "...You should be resting."

The words, coming from a man less than half his age, were a bit startling, even though he accepted the tea and sipped at it. "I'm just fine, Ignis."

"You're sweating and obviously have a fever, Majesty."

Those words were delivered blandly. And as much as he wanted to deny them, he couldn't with him quite so close. "....Don't trouble my son with this. I'll get over it soon enough."

"....As you wish." 

Despite wanting those words to comfort him, he simply sipped at the tea and let it soothe the irritation from his throat.

"Just... Promise me you'll get some rest." The earnest tone to his voice almost forced him to nod.

"I will as soon as I'm done here, I promise. Thank you for coming by today Ignis...and please, take an umbrella with you to go home with. At the very least, the rain shouldn't make you sick as well." A nod and a bow later, Ignis was bidding him farewell and heading back into the heart of the city.

And so he continued to work, with the thunder rumbling in the background and keeping him calm. Everytime he felt his throat tickling, he lifted his cooling tea to take a sip, just to stave off the coughing fits he was sure were trying to overtake him. It was just his luck that he ran out of the sweet tea right as the door swung open again to admit the one person he was looking forward to seeing.

And what a sight he was. Drenched to the point of dripping, Cor's clothing was clinging to his muscled physique, and had his mouth not already been dry, he would be sure that it would have ended up that way. Still, his voice came out as more of a croak, "Cor...welcome home."

His normally surly companion paused, powder blue eyes narrowed. Despite the fact that he was actually dripping on the carpeting and generally looking unthreatening, Regis still sank back in his seat some. "Why aren't you in bed."

It definitely wasn't a question, and as he sucked in a breath to reply, it aggravated his already sore throat and he curled in on himself as another coughing fit struck him. He only vaguely heard the other man swear, and it took a just a couple of seconds before a warm hand was on his back and rubbing it. His own hands stayed at his face to muffle the harsh coughing, and he barely felt the hand that moved under his chin to loosen the knot of his tie. When the wracking coughs abated, he wearily leaned against the man at his side, breath coming in short pants. "Was....waiting for you." His voice came out in nothing but a whisper.

"You're a damn fool Regis." He couldn't deny that, in all honesty, and just turned his head against the other's neck. He heard another curse, then felt arms go around him, and suddenly he was just lifted from his chair like he weighed no more than a sack of potatoes. He couldn't help the small squeak that escaped him, or the way his hand curled in the wet denim of Cor's jacket. "You're going to bed if I have to carry you there."

"This is high impractical..." was his weak protest, and it fell on deaf ears.

"Just get the doors as we go."

And it was exactly as he did, despite his complaints. Once they got to his rooms, Cor did set him on his feet. "Get undressed and I'll get your pajamas. I'll give you a report later on what happened."

"After some sleep...?"

"For both of us."

Regis nodded, hands moving to pull off his clothing. He should have known Cor wouldn't let him keep working, and by the time he was ready to put on pajamas, the first thing he had in his hands wasn't new pajamas, but a glass of water and some pills. He took them without question before getting redressed in the pajamas that Cor provided him. He didn't fail to notice that the other man had taken a moment to get into his own pajama bottoms, and as calloused hands helped him with buttoning his own pajama shirt, he couldn't quite help the smile on his lips. Despite the heat that was surrounding him that was distinctly unpleasant, Cor's warmth against his skin was anything but. 

He allowed the other man to lead him to bed, laying down first and kicking the sheets away. Soon after he did, he felt them being pulled up again, and am arm wound around his waist from behind like a steel band. "You're keeping them on if I have to pin you down all night."

"Oh don't threaten me with a good time...I doubt I'd be able to take it tonight." The reply was met with a snort, and he relaxed into the man behind him, not protesting the sheets again. He was sure there would be more on him come morning, but as his tired body gave in to the urge to sleep. The last thing that registered before he fell into the abyss of sleep was the feel of slightly chapped lips pressed to the back of his neck.

~*~

By morning, all the blankets were on him again and Cor was no longer next to him. Regis forced himself to sit up, a hand lifting to rub at his eyes that felt entirely too hot. He felt mildly disorientated as he made his way to use his personal bathroom, pausing briefly in front of the mirror on the way out. "...I look like hell."

"Yes, you do."

The sound of Cor's voice once again made him jump, and this time he felt the steadying pressure of his hand at his elbow. "Your physician is here to have a look at you."

A groan escaped him. "....you seriously didn't leave early just to get him out of bed, did you...?"

"Yes, I did." By the look on Cor's face, it was goign to be the man's goal to keep him from working, and he had no doubt that he'd already talked Weskham into shuffling his meetings and appointments around. So his protests were stilled as he was led back to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. 

The physician, well used to Regis's lack of care to his own health, wouldn't take any arguments, and instead set about examining the king and doing various tests. He even had the processing kit with him, so they wouldn't have to wait for simple results, such as strep throat and the like. It took him all of half an hour to finally come up with a diagnosis for the king, and by the end of that time, Regis had yanked all the pillows to prop against his headboard and was leaning against them. "It's a simple flu, but if you keep working, it's going to get worse. My recommendation is bedrest for the rest of the week, and a lack of anything strenuous."

"...what exactly is strenuous?" Regis's question sounded like more of one that would come from his teenage son rather than a man in his mid-forties.

"Everything that involves getting out of bed that isn't using the bathroom. Or -using- the bed in ways that make you move a lot." The physician leveled a knowing look at the king and started packing up his kit. "And I trust that Cor will keep you in bed. My recommendation is for soups and water or tea with honey. You need to keep hydrated. I'll have your prescription sent over once it's filled."

"I understand..." And he did, taking the cup of tea that Cor handed him as the physician straightened and took his leave. As he sipped at it slowly, he watched the other man pull a chair over to seat it at the bedside. So it seemed he would be enforcing the 'stay in bed' part of what the physician said. It was just a pity that he wouldn't be able to share it with him really.

"If you behave and listen to the doctor, I'll reward you later." Those simple words made his eyes snap up to meet the powder blue of Cor's. After a moment, he simply nodded, leaning his head back against the pillows. 

He couldn't say when he finished the tea, or the second cup he was given along with medicine, but somewhere along the line he dozed off again, sleep likely catching up with him due to the lack of sleep he often had and the medicine's 'drowsy' side affect. When he next awoke, it was to the sound of his son and Cor conversing near him.

"Is it really so bad he has to stay bed-bound...?"

"Doctor's orders. And I'm going to enforce them whether he likes it or not."

"Think I'd go stir crazy..."

A soft chuckle escaped him as he opened his eyes fully. It drew the attention of both of the people sitting near him -- his son on the bed, and Cor in the chair with a book in his hands. "You'd go stir crazy without video games, Noctis." Even to him, his voice sounded thick with disuse, and he made a small face for it.

"How are you feeling...?" It warmed his heart a little to hear his son sounding so anxious when he rarely got to see him anymore.

"I'll be better soon. Don't worry. It's just the flu and they're overreacting." The anxious expression on Noctis's face seemed to melt away at least a little. "Don't worry, your old man isn't going to die on you just yet."

"I don't want to think about that right now." And now he seemed annoyed. Moody teenager, check. There was time enough to think of his own passing in the future, and he lifted a hand to pat him on the thigh.

"In any case.....how did you find out I was even sick...?" A curious look found it's way to his face as he watched his son.

"...overheard a conversation and nagged a couple of people to get them to tell me what was going on." Noctis wasn't looking at him, and he could only imagine it was probably Clarus talking to his son and Noctis overhearing it from them. He was fairly sure that Ignis wouldn't have mentioned it unless asked.

"I see. Will you be staying for dinner...?"

"As long as they don't make spinach soup again." The words brought a quiet chuckle from him, and he could easily remember a time when he had forced himself to eat that meal in order to make Noctis eat it as well.

"Perhaps they'll make that baked potato stew...."

"Oh I liked that one actually...I'll go ask."

With that, Noctis left the two of them alone again. Regis couldn't quite keep the smile off his face, even after Cor pointed it out. If nothing else, he knew his son cared enough. He couldn't quite remember the conversation he had with Cor on that particular topic, or the one that followed when Noctis rejoined them with a satisfied grin to say that potato soup was on the way for dinner. He seemed so pleased when announcing it that Regis couldn't help but laugh at it. 

The evening went rather peacefully without having to worry about things about the city for the most part, aside from the obvious support of the wall (which he was sure, in retrospect, was making him so tired while ill), and Noctis even surprised them by saying he'd stay the night. One night wouldn't make a difference to his independence, he claimed, and Regis certainly couldn't fault him for wanting to be at home. He'd wanted to be at home himself when his father's health was finally giving out, and not just because it was required of him. And Noctis stayed with them well after dinner, until Regis himself was nodding off in the bed. He woke up enough to give him a warm up, lips curving against at the whisper of "Get better soon, dammit," that Noctis was so kind to say against his ear. When he pulled away, he heard him bidding Cor goodnight as he forced himself to sit up and change his pillows so he could lay on them instead rather than sit up against them.

The effort of doing that alone made him feel weary enough that went Noctis let himself out of the room and closed he door, he simply fell back against the bed, sighing a little. "I love my son, but I think today he's just worn me out..."

"It's because you're ill." The no nonsense tone almost forced him to turn on his side to gaze at the other man. 

"I suppose." And then conversation halted as he watched Cor undressing. His body may not be well enough to appreciate it, but he could still enjoy watching. The other man was just moving to change for bed, obviously, but a small conversation from their past about Regis accusing him of using a tanning bed popped into his head, prompting a small smile that lingered on his lips even as Cor returned to the bed.

"What are you smiling about?" 

A flick of the man's hand extinguished the lights and Regis moved back in the bed to allow him room to lay down. As he was settling in next to him, he sighed softly. "Tanning beds."

The words froze Cor in his place. "Are you -still- on about that? I've told you before, I don't use them."

"Doesn't stop me from being amused at your outraged response every time I mention it." A groan escaped him and Regis could only chuckle as he slid an arm around him to tug him closer. He felt an arm go around his waist like a steel band and nuzzled at the other's collarbone, eyes closing. Sleep swallowed Cor's reply as it quickly overtook him.

~*~

Morning dawned cheerfully, and for once he was aware that he was awake before his bedpartner, his face still pressed to his neck. He was honestly feeling a bit better, and he couldn't help but press his lips to the other's skin. Perhaps it was a shift of clothe that he heard, or maybe it was just awareness of someone watching them that made him move enough to see his surroundings. It didn't take much searching before his eyes met a pair that was as blue as his own and he felt himself growing still. This wasn't exactly the way he'd intended to tell Noctis he was sleeping with another man, but it wasn't as if he could hide it now.

"Morning." Noctis's voice was soft, no doubt to make sure that he didn't wake the other person that was still sleeping like the dead. 

"Good morning..." Regis started to try to untangle himself from Cor.

"Don't...you'll just wake him up. And if he's anything like Ignis, he doesn't get nearly enough sleep."

The words made him settle again, and the way he was peering over Cor's shoulder made him feel a bit like a child peeking around his mother's skirts. "....I was going to tell you Noctis..."

Noctis simply shook his head, staying relaxed in the chair that Cor usually occupied when he wasn't sleeping. "Doesn't matter to me, honestly. If you're happy, be with who you want. You did your duty and gave the country a prince. Just means you can't be judgmental of me."

The quiet acceptance was welcoming, but everything he was thinking screeched to a halt at the last sentence. Judgmental of him? His sleep and illness clouded brain took a few moments to catch up with the words. "Ignis. Isn't it."

A nod was his only answer and he fell quiet, thinking of a way to make it perfectly legal for the two of them without having to hide it. Were it anyone else, he might not have to, but since Ignis was going to be his son's advisor, it was a whole nother ballgame. The silence between them stretched on, and eventually he heard a sigh escape the teenager. "Don't burst a vessel thinking about it, Dad."

"I'm not, I assure you." The small frown that had found it's way to his face lingered as he looked up at Noctis again. "Is there a reason you're in here so early...?"

"Couldn't sleep again. Figured I'd sit with you in case you had issues....guess you wouldn't though." His eyes flicked to Cor pointedly, and Regis had to force himself to keep from absolutely snuggling against the other man. "But you're cool with this right?" The hint of trepidation in his voice almost made him smile, the frown disappearing.

"It's fine. I'm not going to say you can't be with someone after you so graciously said I could love who I wanted." The feeling of someone stirring in his arms made him stop talking, and sleepy blue eyes opened to gaze at Regis for a long moment.

He watched from the corner of his eye as his son rose from the chair silently, almost tiptoeing into the other room to leave them alone again. A glance back from the boy assured them that yes, this would be their secret, then he all but disappeared when Cor kissed him chastely and mumbled his good mornings.

Being sick did seem to have it's advantages, it seemed, and he prepared for yet another lazy day in bed with the other man at his side. He still felt feverish, and if the doctor's orders were anything to go by, he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. He felt a hand run through his hair and turned his face to nuzzle it. He could already tell that Cor would be on board with his plan of staying in bed, at least for awhile longer, and if Noctis left while they were still in it, he'd simply give him a call when he was well again to let him know things were fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are appreciated, comments are lifeblood :)


End file.
